Combination furniture piece



June 13, 1961 J. R. BERGEN 2,988,413

COMBINATION FURNITURE PIECE Filed March 31, 1960 United States Patent C 2,988,413 f COMBINATION FURNITURE PIECE John R. Bergen, Glenbeulah, Wis., assignor to A. A. Laun Furniture Co., Kiel, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Filed Mar. 31, 1960, Ser. No. 19,059 1 Claim. (Cl. S12-195) This invention relates to an improved combination furniture piece, and more particularly to a combination desk and storagechest for use in a home or oce.

More specically, the principal object of the present invention is to provide a desk structure having `a pivotal table top which can be swung to various angular positions relative tothe desk body or chest portion, depending upon theintended use of the unit or the arrangement of the room. With the topin its normal position directly over the chest the assemblage forms a compact unit which can be easily iitted in the corner of an ordinary living room or office for use -as a storage chest or cabinet. With the top pivoted away from the chest a much larger working surface is provided, and the device can be used as a desk or reference table, or it can be positioned perpendicular to a wall to serve as a room divider. The result is a versatile article of furniture which is adapted for many uses in either the home or oice.

Further objects of the present invention are to provide a novel combination desk and storage chest, as described, which device is simple in design and construction, and which is distinctive and attractive in appearance.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists of the improved combination furniture piece, and all of its parts and combinations as set forth in the claim, and all equivalents thereof.

In the accompanying drawing, illustrating one complete embodiment of the preferred form of the invention, and wherein the same reference numerals designate the same parts in all of the views:

FIG. l is a perspective view of the combination desk and storage chest with the pivotal table top positioned directly over the chest;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the unit with the top member swung 180 to an extended position; and

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view ofthe unit with parts thereof broken away and shown in section.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the numeral designates the body or chest portion of the assemblage, and includes an upper wall 11, a pair of side walls 12 and 13, and short, tapered legs 14 at each corner. Said body is rectangular in form, and is divided into two approximately equal storage sections, the right section having a sliding door 15 behind which is a storage space large enough to house a typewriter, or which may be used as a liquor cabinet, and the left hand section is provided with drawers 16. While a set of three standard drawers 16 is illustrated, it may be preferred in some instances to have two large drawers, or one large and one small drawer, or some other combination, and the specific arrangement of the storage space is not critical to the invention.

Spaced above and in parallel relation to the top wall 11 of the chest is a table top member 17 which is pivotally supported at one end on said chest, as will be hereinafter described in greater detail, and the other end of which normally overhangs the opposite end of the chest (FIGS. 1 Iand 3) and is supported by a pair of elongated, tapered legs 18 having casters 19 on their lower ends.

'I'he pivotal mounting of said top member 17 is best illustrated in FIG. 3 and as will be seen therein, a split block 20 is interposed between the top member and chest, said block having an upper section 21 rigidly secured to the underside of the top member by upwardly directed ICC wood screws ZZ, and a lower abutting section 23 rigidly secured to the upper wall 11 of the chest. A vertical bore is provided through said block 20, and registering bores are formed in the top member and the upper wall 11 of the chest. An elongated -bolt 25 is projected through said registering bores, to rotatably secure the top member and attached upper block section 21 to the lower block section 2.3 and the chest. The enlarged head 25 of said connecting bolt is countersunk below the upper surface,

of the table top so as not to interrupt the smooth working surface provided by said top member, and the lower end of said bolt has a pair of retaining nuts 26 thereon abutting the underside of said chest upper wall 11.

It is to be understood, of course, that while the spl-it` block and connecting bolt assemblage hereinabove de-,l`

scribed has been found to be a very simple yet eicient mounting device, other `pivot constructions might be utilized without departing from the spirit of the invention. In this regard, it is to be understood too that the design and style of the illustrated `furniture piece, as well as the materials employed, are a matter of preference. 'Ihe illustrated unit is characterized by straight, clean lines and is modernistic in style, but other designs might be utilized and the particular style is not critical to the invention. Likewise, it has been found that wood covered with laminated plastic combines maximum protection and durability with great beauty, but the material used in the construction of the desk is a matter of choice.

In the use of the novel combination furniture piece comprising the present invention, the table top 17 may be swung in a complete circle about the pivot point provided by the bolt Z5, and can be arranged in any desired angular position relative to the chest, depending upon its intended use. Iif the unit is to be placed in the corner of a living room or study, for example, the top maybe swung or 270 and the device used as a desk, or the top may be mounted directly over the chest, as illustrated in FIGS. l and 3, in which position the unit forms a compact storage chest for stationery or liquor. With the top extended straight outwardly, as shown in FIG. 2, the unit can be arranged along a wall, for use as either a desk or reference table or even as a buffet, or the entire unit may be positioned perpendicularly to the wall to function as a room divider.

In an office, the unit is adapted to serve as a receptionists or typists desk, Iand in this respect when the unit is in an open position the table top is at a suitable height for reading or writing, and the top of the cabinet provides a perfect typing surface. A further advantage of the invention in a small oliice, of course, is that the pivotal nature of the top member permits the unit to be fitted in -a corner of the room or even arranged around a building column or the like, thereby obtaining maximum use of the limited oii'ice space. As mentioned, the table legs are provided with casters 19 to facilitate the pivot-al movement of said table top member, and in practice it has been found that a secretary can swing the same to a desired position with little effort.

From the foregoing detailed description, it will be appreciated that the present invention provides a versatile combination furniture piece which can be used as a desk, a chest, a liquor cabinet, a table, or even as a room divider. Moreover, the unit is unusually stylish in appearance and provides a decorative and distinctive addition to any home or office.

As hereirrbefore mentioned, it is to be understood that the improved article of furniture comprising the present invention is not to be limited or confined to the exact construction or ornamental design shown and described herein. Obvious modifications will suggest themselves to persons skilled in the art, and all of such changes or Patented June 13, 1961.

modifications are contemplated which do not depart from the spirit of the invention and which may come within the scope of the following claim.

What I claim is:

`In a furniture piece of the rtype having a horizontallypivotal top member, the `combination comprising: a rectangular chest having a back, a front face, and a horizontal upper wall, said chest being divided into a drawer section and a storage section; 1a plurality of verticallyaligned drawers slidably mounted in said drawer section, the outer ends of said drawers normally being recessed from the front face of said chest; a door slidably mounted on the front face of said chest and normally covering said Vstorage section, said door being slidable to a position in front of said recessed drawers to permit access to said storage section; a table top positioned above and panallel to said chest upper wal-l, said table top being spaced substantially above `said chest upper wall, and said table top having an end normally overhanging the drawer section end of said chest; a horizontally-split block interposed between said table top and chest upper wall,

said block being positioned over said storage section intermediate the chest back and front face, the upper section of said `split block being rigidly secured to the underside of said table top and the lower block section being rigidly secured to said chest upper wall, there `being registering bores through said block, table top, and chest upper wall members; a bolt projected through said registering bores and 'into said chest storage section; a nut threaded onto the lower, projecting end of said bolt, said bolt and nut members pivotally securing said table top and upper block section to said lower block section and chest; and a pair of supporting legs depending from the overhang ing end of said pivotal table top.

`'References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS '583,752 Johnston June l, 1897 1,777,683 Starker Oct. 7, 193) 2,655,420 Hadley Oct. 1'3, 1953 2,665,963 Wallack Jan. '12, '1954' 2,783,108 Walker Feb. 26,'1957 

